Page &
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985
THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A NETWORK OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DETECTION, REPORTING, INVESTIGATION AND TREATMENT OF ALL COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, INCLUDING MALARIA.
UNDER THE VECTOR MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMME OPERATED BY STAFF OF THE URBAN SERVICES AND MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, POTENTIAL BREEDING SITES ARE OILED WEEKLY TO DESTROY MOSQUITO LARVAE. IN AREAS WHERE CONDITIONS ARE CONDUCIVE TO MOSQUITO BREEDING, INSECTICIDES ARE SPRAYED.
TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TERRITORY-WIDE PUBLICITY ON MALARIA THROUGH THE PRESS, TELEVISION AND RADIO NETWORKS IS BEING CARRIED OUT. SPECIAL PAMPHLETS, POSTERS, HEALTH TALKS, SLIDE SHOWS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
TRAINING PROGRAMMES INCLUDING SEMINARS FOR MEDICAL AND LABORATORY STAFF HAVE BEEN HELD TO KEEP THEM ABREAST OF THE KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD.
A CENTRAL REFERENCE LABORATORY WAS ESTABLISHED AT SAI YING PUN INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY TO PROVIDE CONSULTATIVE SERVICES TO OTHER LABORATORIES. IT ALSO SERVES AS A REFERENCE AND MONITORING CENTRE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF MALARIA.
-
AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES WITHIN TARGET'
****
AN ANALYSIS CARRIED OUT LAST MONTH BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SHOWED THAT IN 90 PER CENT OF THE EMERGENCY CALLS IT TOOK AN AMBULANCE 10 MINUTES TO REACH THE SCENE OF A CALL IN THE URBAN AREAS AND 20 MINUTES TO REACH THE SCENE IN THE RURAL AREAS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID TODAY.
THE TIMES, HE SAID, WERE WITHIN THE TARGET ATTENDANCE TIMES THE GOVERNMENT USED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.
AND THE RESULT WAS CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY, AS IT WOULD NEVER BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE THE TARGET TIMES IN 100 PER CENT OF CASES, GIVEN SUCH UNCONTROLLABLE FACTORS IN HONG KONG'S PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT AS TRAFFIC CONGESTION, HE SAID.
MR JEAFFRE SON WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG ABOUT THE AVERAGE TIME TAKEN FOR AN AMBULANCE TO REACH THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT.
HE SAID HE DID NOT HAVE A FIGURE FOR THE AVERAGE TIME TAKEN FOR AN AMBULANCE TO REACH THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE THE STAFF NECESSARY TO ANALYSE THE 850 CALLS A DAY WHICH THE AMBULANCE SERVICE RECEIVED.
/+BUT FROM